THE vintage blue Rolls Royce that sent the man known as “Mr Ipswich Town” on his way to a well-deserved retirement yesterday was incredibly apt.

No one has been more dedicated to the Blues than stadium manager and general ‘Jack of all trades’ Trevor Kirton who bid farewell amid a guard of honour at Portman Road.

From players to administrative to coaching staff, the chief executive to the players, those that lined the drive out of the stadium would have been hard-pressed not to shed a tear.

The 64-year-old was coach driver and kit man during the glory days of the late 70s and early 80s before being promoted to the role of stadium manager when the club was promoted to the Premier League in 2000.

It would be difficult to find a person more committed to the team in blue and secretary Sally Webb insisted the spectacular send-off was fitting.

“Trevor is Mr Ipswich Town and everybody wants to pay homage to someone who helped every department week in, week out, we can’t do without him” she said.

“He is a huge character. Sometimes we call him Victor Meldrew because he knows what he wants and how to run things. If people ask him something that is not possible he is straight with them and will not mess about. I think we will miss that.

“But we do have a new stadium manager, Greg Pillinger, and I sure he will make his own mark his own way.”

Despite the start of the season being just days away, it was an unusually low-key day at Portman Road as staff around the ground bid to keep Trevor’s farewell a secret.

“We think we have kept it a secret although it is very difficult to do that with Trevor as he has eyes and ears in every part of the ground,” added the Blues’ secretary.

“The fact that today has been so low-key will have probably alerted him that something was going to happen!”

Ipswich Star editor Nigel Pickover was on hand to present Mr Kirton with his very own framed front-page, celebrating his achievements at the club.

Mr Pickover added: "Very few people deserve a front page in their recognition, but Trevor certainly does. He is a club legend."